My cousin just died. He was a quadriplegic (broke his neck jumping into a lake without looking when he was a teenager). His sister is the only other person in the family that I know of that has MS. She was in the hospital having her first MS flare when her brother broke his neck. So, they were both in the hospital at the same time, paralyzed.

It's weird. I was just thinking about him and his sister this afternoon. Not sure why I was thinking about them. He'd been on a ventilator for the past couple of months. Not sure what happened. The family member that called us didn't know everything that happened. I'm guessing that he got pneumonia or something like that during the winter, and because of his condition, he just didn't get better from it.

I hope his sister is ok, and doesn't get an MS flare from this. I hadn't talked to him for at least 8 to 10yrs, and it was before I knew about my MS. I hope his sister is doing ok. (I don't think I've ever talked to her)

I'm sorry Erin .
How sad for everyone...especially so, to have it happen at Easter time.

With love, Erika

Erin, all the hospitals in my city will let you pick what payment you can make. My Mom was able to pay $25/month and they accepted that, no interest. also we have a med school here for PT and doctors and it is amazing how cheap you can get in to them. And they are overseen by a regular doctor or PT. But that is the only way some people can get medical care. I'm sure your whole experience would be wonderful for a medical student and a resident to take on.

This has nothing to do with MS, but I just needed to vent about this.

I'm on another group of forums, on a non-health related website.

Today, my boyfriend called me, and said that he'd just ridden his motorcycle to Omaha, and wanted to know if I wanted to hang out a bit. (of course)

So, I was all excited about him coming to see me, and I was on that other forum, and posted about him, and that I was all excited that he was coming to see me.

On that other forum, people can click buttons on the bottom of the posts to either agree, disagree, show some love, or say something is funny or interesting.

My boyfriend just left, and I went to that forum to answer some messages I got. I went into the thread that I left the message about being excited about seeing my boyfriend, and three people had clicked the Disagree button on the post. I don't understand that. Why would anyone disagree with my boyfriend coming to see me?

I have been unhappy the past month, and stressed out. I hadn't really talked to the boyfriend for the last month because his job was really busy and stressful. (he quit, he got a new, much better paying job that starts monday) My life has been really stressful lately, and I haven't had the energy to do much. When I found out he was coming to go out to lunch with me, I was excited.

I just don't understand why people on that forum, who I thought were friends, would click the disagree button to apparently say something negative and passive aggressive that way, and anonymously.

I'm really tired. I fell asleep on my boyfriend while we were watching tv in my new bedroom. I was really happy to go out with him for a bit today, even if it was just to go get lunch, with my parents. It tired me out. Think I'm going to bed early tonight.

Trying to get into my house today, had to actually go up two steps. I was telling my aunt that we need a ramp. She could see me struggling, and had to actually help me with the door so I could get into the house without falling.

She said, "why do you need a ramp? It's *only one step* .".


She's the same one who mocked me last summer when I was asking my dad if we could build a ramp, because I *knew* that we'd be needing one. (we didn't build it, because she and my sister convinced my dad that we didn't need it. No one listens to me).


I want a bleeping ramp. Why is it so hard to get them to believe me that I need a <very bad swear word> ramp?

Could your local MS society help facilitate one. Or your local council on aging help with your parents getting one? Get a doctor's order and your 'nice' Aunt can't complain

I'm going to see if our contractor can build us one. I want it to look nice, and look like something that would fit in with our neighborhood that has a homeowner's association. It's a good thing my aunt is the association president. I have to ask permission for it, but she's already told me to build it. I'd just give her a letter whenever she needs one to prove it to the rest of the association board that we asked permission if someone kvetches (complains) about it.

When I broke my kneecap, Erin, three years ago in Seattle, I found Medicare would not pay for even a night in the hospital. I had to go to assisted living, where the PT was not adequate. A real loser made visits, but she didn't even pay attention to the fact that I couldn't get on the toilet with my leg held in a hip to foot cast. Then I had a TIA and ended up back in the hospital. Because of the TIA I ended up in a good nursing home with excellent PT. Someway there must be a way to get you into a facility for good PT. Even if it's a roundabout way. I don't recommend having a TIA to do it. Some other way.
The only way I could get proper care was the pay for it all myself ($8000 to 11000 a month in Seattle) or have stress bad enough to have a TIA, with everyone shouting at me to go to the hospital. We have feeble medical care when it comes to some problems, good with other problems. You have to find the way to go for the PT.

I am sorry you lost your better medical care. I was on Medicare and Aetna when this problem occurred, but Medicare wouldn't cover what I obviously really needed, as I was far from home and had no place to go to heal the knee and start walking again. A series of things has made me understand what it's like not to have enough money for care when one is disabled or old. I thought I was covered, not lavishly, but enough. Now I know it is not true and God is my only helper. But in the meanwhile, until God arrives, PT has kept me walking. And my knee healed perfectly, as if nothing ever happened. Just this: my psyche never will trust again...and I never should have trusted. Millions of people have no one to trust. It is horrifying. Praying the doctor finds a way for you to get inhouse PT.

I've got an idea for your healthcare problem Erin. Send the bill tot he White House!!!

That thought has crossed my mind. (I could send half to the WH, and the other half to Congress) But, the government has been screwing up everything they touch for the past hundred years or so. They'd just screw up paying the bill, and it would get sent to collections.

as if I don't need another problem...remember that frozen shoulder I had? It's coming back. I have to go back to the shoulder doctor (who, inconveniently, is now out-of-network) and probably get another shot in the shoulder joint.

And I'm not sure I can do the cortisone shots in the shoulder for the frozen shoulder. My neuro told me that steroids will just make my MS work. I don't know if injectible cortisone will booger things up for me and make the MS worse. Apparently the cortisone shots are not a cure for frozen shoulder. They'll help the pain, but it's not a cure. I could be stuck with a frozen shoulder for up to three years.

Really hope that I don't end up in unrelenting pain from the frozen shoulder again. That was so painful, I was close to doing something to myself to make the pain stop. It was worse than the MS stuff, but it also contributed to making the MS stuff worse. I don't think I could deal well with that kind of pain again.